


Head Over Paw Into You

by gnarf



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Animagus Draco Malfoy, Depressed Harry, Fluff, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Light Angst, M/M, POV Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 19:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16001942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gnarf/pseuds/gnarf
Summary: Draco wasn't exactly happy with his Animagus form but he came to appreciate it after he went back to Hogwarts.When he spotted a new smell in the air one night he got curious.'Something about it was familiar, important, as if Draco had smelled it a long time ago but forgot about it till now. It smelled safe, like happy memories from a past life, and Draco’s curiosity draw interest. He had to find the source of it, find what was forgotten but now returned to him.'





	Head Over Paw Into You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you AkaShika for helping me with the beta <3

It wasn't the first time that Draco went out for a nightly stroll since he had returned to Hogwarts. But it was the first time he smelled another student there.

Even if he slightly hated his Animagus form he couldn't help but admire the sharpened senses this form allowed him to use.

When he first transformed, while the Dark Lord was at the Manor and Draco had tried everything to find a way out of there, he hated himself more than anything for bringing back that memory.

When he craned his neck to look at the form he took on he instantly transformed back and had ignored it for a long time, white fur chasing his nightmares just as often as the Dark Lord had.

But now that he was back at Hogwarts, finally free, he tried it again.

It wasn't so bad anymore, he still didn't like that he was a ferret out of everything he could have been, but he came to accept it. At least it helped him to get rid of the stress the life after the war caused.

Draco had to be careful these days, he had to be a good student in every class, never step a foot out of line, follow the rules, and duck away from hexes aimed at him in the corridors whenever nobody was watching.

And one night he had enough of it. He transformed into his Animagus and strolled to the grounds where he'd spend the time with chasing birds and frogs and even his own tail from time to time, jumping over the high grass, enjoying how it tickled his paws, and the smell of the Scottish night.

He had returned nearly every night ever since. Sometimes he'd meet Hagrid who'd laugh at his chasing and bouncing before he fed him something of whatever he carried with him that night, or Mrs. Morris who was terribly afraid of ferrets and he finally could take revenge and chase her around until he got tired.

But tonight there was another smell in the air. It had to be another student. Something about it was familiar, important, as if Draco had smelled it a long time ago but forgot about it till now. It smelled safe, like happy memories from a past life, and Draco’s curiosity draw interest. He had to find the source of it, find what was forgotten but now returned to him.

He followed the scent as fast as his small legs could carry him, only hesitating for a second when he found it led him into the Forbidden Forest before gaining in speed again, jumping over the fallen branches at the entrance.

The further in he got, the happier he was that he was able to see at night in this form, without it he'd be lost. After what felt like an eternity—probably caused by the fact that he had to hide from the Thestrals for a while—the scent grew stronger and Draco let out a small excited cluck while jumping over the branches in his way.

Soon he'll know what it was.

Dashing through a small bush he stumbled in a clearing between the trees and crashed into something big. Jumping backwards he nearly hit the bush again and decided to use it as his hiding spot until he figured out what exactly it was he had ran into.

Whatever it was, it radiated the scent Draco was chasing after. After he shook his head a few times and sneezed to get the dirt his crash had caused out of his nose he peaked out of the bush to take a closer look at the object.

It was a student, he was right. He was sitting on the ground, and seemingly hadn't even noticed that Draco ran into him a few seconds ago. Creeping closer, out of the safety of his bush, Draco took a closer look at him and startled when he saw the mop of hair.

It was Potter, of course it was him. But what was he doing here? Taking tentative steps around him he saw that Potter's eyes looked empty, his face was rid of all emotions and the hands he had pressed to the ground shook heavily. Something definitely was wrong with him.

He had noticed how silent Potter was nowadays. He was mostly for himself, ignoring others who tried to involve him in their discussions and never looking up from whatever he was doing at that moment. Draco had seen the worried faces of Granger and Weasley, how they tried to speak with him but gave up with no result. He'd lie if he'd say he wasn't worried about him. They weren't exactly enemies anymore, not after Potter gave back his wand and Draco apologised for everything he had done or had thought of doing while their time at Hogwarts. It was a long list he had made in his mind.

Finding him here in the darkness in the middle of the forbidden forest was only the top of the iceberg.

Draco tried to catch his attention by walking around him, he had to try to bring him back to reality, the forest was dangerous for him. But Potter only stared on, not noticing him at all.  _ And if that wasn't a déjà vu _ , Draco thought.

Huffing irritated Draco sat down and sneezed once more. Seemingly he had to switch to more drastic actions to get his attention, not that it'd be something new.

Creeping closer Draco bit in Potter's sleeve and pulled on it until Potter shook his head and blinked down at him before looking around him as if he hadn't even realised where he was till now.

Draco wanted to tell him off for being here at all but he had no idea how he could do that in this form so he only sat down by Potter's feet and tried his best to stare angrily at him.

Potter sighed and looked back at Draco, “thank you little friend. I think I lost track here. Who are you? I could swear I know you. But that's me being crazy isn't it? All ferrets remind me of him.”

_ Oh great, I wonder who you're talking about, Potter. Do you tell every ferret that it reminds you of me? _

“And what a lovely fur you have. All white and shiny except your muddy paws and the black tip of your tail. So lovely. I'm going to tell you a secret yes?”

_ And I'll shove my muddy paws—I only have thanks to you by the way—in your mouth if you don't go back to the castle Potter. It's dangerous here. _

“I hate this place. Not the castle, or the forest, I would never dare to say something bad about your home if you're only half as big-headed about it as he is. No, I hate this exact place here.”

_ Big-headed?  _ Draco huffed again.  _ Why are you even here if you hate this place? Go to the castle to your lovely Gryffindors and keep on staring at nothing there. _

“You know, little ferret, I died this year. Here, in this exact place. And I hate it. But I can't stop coming back, it's like a piece of me is missing and I always come back to find it here. But it never shows up.”

_ What do you mean you died here? I thought Mother was joking! Potter please, let's go back to the castle, I don't like this place anymore. _ Draco's fur bristled up and he couldn't help but scoot closer to Potter.

“It's like a dream, a nightmare. Everytime I'm here I see it happening again. I'm here, I don't even carry my wand, and he lifts his arm, green light flashes and I'm on the ground. I don't know how long I've been—how long I was gone. Sometimes I think I shouldn't have come back. That they are better off without me.”

_ Don't you even dare to think that Potter! _

“But then his mother was there when I opened my eyes, and I knew it was right that I came back. At least I thought it was. But everything is different now.”

Draco climbed onto Potter's lap and allowed him to pet him, there was nothing much he could do now. And if he had to be honest he wanted to hear the rest of it, maybe it'd help Potter to get normal again, once he had said everything he needed to say.

“You see, Ron and Hermione tried to understand, but they don't get it. They don't know how it was to live with Voldemort in my head. They’ve seen enough, but they never saw the other side. Not like I have, not like he has.”

_ Yeah, I've seen the other side Potter. I was there, I've seen it all. Don't forget I was a part of that.  _ Draco shuddered while Harry stroked his back.

“This year he's too quiet, he is lost in his thoughts just like I am. I think he's in the same place as I am as well, and I don't like this quiet version of him. He always was the only one who challenged me, who didn't care about my name and kissed the ground I was walking on, and I miss that. Whenever I see him in our common room he's on his own, not looking up, not even a glance. And that's another part I feel that is missing. The war has changed too much.”

_ Well do something about it. And maybe start with going back to the castle before one of these creatures here finds us and decides it's time for a snack. I'm faster than you are. _

“What do you think, little ferret? Will he become normal again? Will I? I think I should stop coming here. It won't help to chase a lost life.”

Draco only digged himself deeper into Potter's sweater. At least he'd have it comfortable while listening to him. He couldn't change anything, he was a Death Eater, he couldn't go back to normal. Not even for Potter. People wouldn't like that and he already had enough trouble.

Potter was quiet for awhile, if it wasn't for him crawling Draco behind his ears he'd have thought that Potter had drifted off again.

“You know what, I'm going back to the castle. That means I'm getting up and I have to put you back to the ground. I don't fancy getting bitten, so please behave, yes?”

_ Don't you dare to pick me up!  _ When Potter tried, Draco squirmed and jumped out of Potter's lap. He'd suffer through the petting but he wouldn't allow Potter to pick him up.

Potter bent down to stroke his back once again before making his way back to the castle. Draco watched him go and huffed once more before taking his own way back. The one-sided conversation with Potter had drained his energy and he had no motivation to return to his hunting games anymore after that. The only thing he wanted to do was curl up in his bed and sleep for two days straight.

* * *

* * *

 

Draco laid on the sofa in front of the fireplace, he couldn't sleep but it was raining so there was no way he could go outside. One month had passed since he had met Potter in the forest and he hadn't seen him near it ever since. The night still haunted his dreams though.

He wasn't sure but he could have sworn that Potter at least tried to be more social towards his friends now. And he was happy about that. At least it had helped him to speak to someone.

Draco jumped as the door opened with a crash, he turned to see who entered the room and went back to staring at the flames the second he had spotted Potter entering the room. He nearly jumped into next week when, out of nowhere, Potter shoved his feet away to sit on the sofa with him.

“Wha—?” Draco considered to stay quiet, but there was no one here except them and Potter's words came back to his mind. “Potter! What the fuck do you think you're doing? You can't just push my feet away to sit down wherever you please! I was quite comfortable like that, just so you know!”

Potter's answering grin made his brain come to a halt. He hadn't seen Potter smiling or grinning for ages, especially not at him. And now he did. Not even the smallest sign of the Potter he had met in the forest was visible right now. It was just Potter. But not even that could have prepared him for Potter's next action.

Instead of answering with a smart remark straight away he pulled Draco's legs into his lap and leaned back into the back rest, grin still on place.

“You're unbelievable.” Draco huffed but didn't pull his legs away. This was even better, but he wouldn't say that out loud.

“Yeah, people’ve told me before.”

They stayed quiet for a while, neither of them saying a word. Draco didn't dare to do so, first of all he had no idea what he could say, and secondly, even if he found something to say he had no desire to anger Potter and cause him to leave with that.

“You know,” Potter said after a while, “I really thought you'd come to me after we met in the forest. It took me a few days to figure it out but I know it was you.”

Draco's heart beat in his throat now, he didn't even dare to move his head to look at Potter.

“Why didn't you say something about it, Draco?”

At that he couldn't help but look at him. “I didn't want to make you angry. I should have told you it was me, shouldn't have approached you like that. You wouldn't have said anything of that if you had known it was me.”

“Probably not. But it makes things easier now that I finally can. Make some space, I'm joining you here.”

“You what?”

“I'm going to stay on this sofa with you, if that's okay? At least this time you won't leave mud stains all over my jumper.”

“I had muddy paws only because I couldn't help but follow your scent, you wanker! So that's entirely your fault!”

“Uh-huh, would you move over now? Except you don't want me to—”

Draco huffed and scooted over to make some space for Potter. He had no idea where all of this suddenly came from but he surely won't complain about it.

Draco waited till Potter was comfortable before he took his arm and pulled it around his middle and closed his eyes.

“Don't you dare to pet me this time again, Potter. I'll bite you if you try.”

“Sure, Draco. Sleep well, my little ferret.”

Draco bit his hand for that. 

**Author's Note:**

> I would love it if you leave a comment or kudos for my fic <3
> 
>  
> 
> [Visit me on tumblr!](https://gnarf.tumblr.com/)


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